Jack Frost and his grip!

As many of you know from my precious posts, my husband and I love to go for walks in National Trust properties.  Our favourite is Sheffield Park where we have spent many a delightful hour strolling around at different times of the year to view the plant life, birds and lakes in all their glory.  Each season is different and each visit within that season shows up another treasure.

This weekend Jack Frost was paying many of us a visit but as the freezing fog lifted we were able to see the branches of the trees outlined with white crystal ice.  The picture was beautiful!  Unlike when snow nestles in the crooks and crannies of branches the ice gave a very surreal and delicate look.  This was first seen as we drove through Ashdown Forest which was originally a deer hunting forest in Norman times!  It is a great place for walking and enjoying spectacular views over the Sussex countryside and is known the world over as the 'home' of Winnie the Pooh.

So, we stopped the car to park up so that yours truly could take a couple of photos such as these:  Although they were taken in colour they give the impression of black and white.... well nearly!   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This has to be one of my favourites to illustrate how the branches of the trees were caught up in the ice age.  Banks of trees laden with ice whilst the close up picture shows how delicately the branches appeared.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now it was time to move on to Sheffield Park.  Normally awash with colour throughout the year there was still plenty of contrast.  Here we look down the series of ponds to the main lake.  The main difference between here and Ashdown was that the ice on the trees had mostly melted.  However, the water in all the lakes in the park remained iced over with different amounts of ice.

The swans and ducks were restricted in their feeding areas to a small patch where visitors to the park could come to feed crusts of bread.

 

 

 

 

I mentioned the contrasts you could see.  Well, have a look at these palm trees standing frozen by the lake.  Normally seen in desert this certainly proved a different type of desert; one of ice!  

 

Meanwhile I couldn't resist taking this photograph of icicles formed at the edge of a weir that fed the lakes.

 

Here is another view of a waterfall that has been stopped in its tracks!

 

 

 

And so, having taken loads of photographs and walked around taking in all the beautiful sights we decided we would welcome the car ride home and that all important hot cup of tea!

Oh no, he didn't! Oh yes, he did!!

Oh no, he didn't!  Or, Oh yes, he did!! These are words that ring out from both children and adults alike during the many Pantomime performances at this time of year in UK.  No, we haven't all gone mad.  Never heard of a Panto or Pantomime?  Well, this could be your lucky day!!

Pantomime, as we know it today is a theatrical show predominantly aimed at children, based on a popular fairy tale or folk legend. The most popular subjects being "Cinderella", followed by "Aladdin", "Dick Whittington" and "Snow White".  Although any story linked with a fairy tale or traditional children's story such as Peter Pan, Jack and the Beanstalk etc can be used.

In the UK, the word "Pantomime" means a form of entertainment, generally performed during the Christmas season during the months of December and January.  Most cities and towns throughout the UK have a form of Pantomime. The origins of British Pantomime or "Panto" as it is known date back to the middle ages, taking on board the traditions of the Italian "Commedia dell’ Arte, the Italian night scenes in which actors concentrated on miming along with song and dance, and British Music hall to produce an intrinsic art form that constantly adapted to survive up to the present day.  Panto has been attempted abroad, usually with a small amount of success. Not surprisingly it has proved popular in countries such as Canada, Australia.  However, in America this very British art form has been less popular, although in 1868 a production of "Humpty Dumpty" ran for over 1,200 performances at the Olympic Theatre, New York, making it the most successful Pantomime in American history!

Pantomime has always combined many elements of theatre throughout its existence.  By adapting itself it has managed to survive.  The main element includes the most important one of tradition with a strong well known story line.  The tale has to be well told, incorporating the all important elements of good battling against evil, and emerging triumphant. In this respect, the concept varies little from the medieval morality plays, performed on village greens. To this day "tradition" says that the Pantomime villain should be the first to enter, from the "dark side", stage left, followed by his adversary the good fairy from stage right. This echoes the tradition in medieval times when the entrances to heaven and hell were placed on these sides.  The evil character is booed and hissed at as he enters.  Whenever he asks the audience whether something is true or not they will always respond in the opposite.  Hence the 'oh yes, you did' versus the 'oh no, you didn't' tradition.

Another important element of a good Panto is the slap stick humour.  This could be derived from the original Harlequin character who would know when the scenery should be changed, and it is believed he would "Clap"  his slapstick to indicate that this should happen, in the form of an audible cue.  It could well be the start of the old superstition that it was bad luck to clap your hands behind the scenes at the back of the stage for fear that the heavy scenery would be moved at an inappropriate time thus causing an accident.

One of the main characters in a Panto is the Pantomime Dame, usually the hero’s mother, such as Widow Twankey in "Aladdin" or "Dame Trott" in Jack and the Beanstalk.  She was a creation that emerged from the early Music Halls of the Victorian era. 

The Ugly Sisters differ from the Dame in that they have to tread the thin tightrope between being hugely comic characters, and yet still remain the villains of the piece.  They were originally played by women but from the mid 1800 men took on the characters.

Tradition also states that the principal boy role should be played by a woman and not a man.    The Victorian male, living in a society where even the legs of the parlour piano were covered for modesty’s sake , craved the vision of a well turned calf, or shapely ankle.

Whilst ladies were corseted, crinolined or bustled on the street, artistic license allowed ladies upon the stage to wear costumes that revealed shapely legs in tights on condition that they were playing a male role!

Seldom featured, and yet indispensable, Pantomime could not survive without its chorus of dancers, and indeed its troupes of juveniles or “Babes” as they are known.  Today, for reasons of economy the troupe will consist of 6 -8 boys and girls.

In addition to the usual characters on stage modern technology in the form of computer graphics has been used to be incorporated in the performances to enhance lighting effects and sounds to help keep the show as modern and up to date as possible.

And so, my friends, you have a very brief recount of the traditional British Panto!  For many years to come it will remain as the traditional activity for the Christmas period.  A visit to a pantomime may be a child’s first experience of live theatre. If that experience is magical enough, it can leave a lasting impression. In a world where children are surrounded by computer games and videos, DVD's and the all pervasive influences of television, a visit to a pantomime could be a catalyst.

The tradition will continue, children will shout "Oh yes it is!" as loudly as ever, and, when the actor in the white sheet waves his arms behind our hero and goes "Whoo" Whooo!", children of all ages will still cry out "Its-behind-you!"

Gibraltar

Whilst on our visit to Spain recently we thought we ought to make the effort to travel that little bit further.  In fact, to visit Gibraltar which turned out to be just an hour's drive from where we were staying in Mijas on the Costa del Sol.

The Rock of Gibraltar is located at the entrance to the Mediterranean.  It has a solid economy and because of its history and location has always remained prominent in the world's press and media.  Gibraltar has been a British Territory since 1704. Ceded forever to Britain by Spain in the Treaty of Utrecht (1713), Gibraltar joined the EU in 1973, under the British Treaty of Accession.  When General Franco closed the border for a while ,in the 1950's, with "the Rock" at the nearby La Linea (meaning 'boundary line' in Spanish), it was Algeciras that he decided to develop to absorb the Spanish workers who used to be employed in the British naval dockyards and in order to break the area's dependence on Gibraltar.  Gibraltar has always relied on La Línea for the supply of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and fish as well as many other products. There is also an important Spanish military presence in La Línea.   

First of all I have to tell you that both Hubby and I visited Gib, as it is affectionately known, about 40 years ago!  SSShhsshh!  Where has the time flown?  Anyway, Hubby went there with friends on a holiday and stayed with them on Gib itself.  However, I flew into Gib (always did have to be different!) on my very first familiarisation flight on joining the Royal Air Force.  Gib was and still is a stragetic spot with a small airforce base keeping its presence. The airport serves as a military base as well as a civilian airport.  There aren't many air movements as you can see from the state of the runway!

I see no aircraft this way.......

 

 

 

Or here!   These pictures were taken as we walked across from La Línea , Spain.  You actually walk along a pathway alongside the road for cars.  It is a strange experience and you keep watching out each way in case of aircraft!!  One of the strangest sights to see is that of English policemen around the town.  Here is one on duty outside the Departure lounge at the airport. 

Once we arrived in Gib, we had decided to leave the car in Spain and walk. we headed for the town centre.  Gib is a mixture of historical buildings and modern.  My biggest disappoint was that it was so geared up for the tourist, or rather the English bucket and spade mob as well as the large cruise liners.  Did I really want to choose between a full English breakfast (cholesterol on a plate), a medium sized breakfast or a huge one!!  Other than that you could have bangers and mash (sausages and mashed potato), meat pie etc etc.  When I think of the wonderful fresh fish that should have been available.  Also, because the traffic tended to be a very transient one which meant that visitors would literally spend only a few hours on a day visit, the customer service in many establishments left much to be desired.  Shops along the High Street were all those you would find in any English town.  Such a shame when I felt they could have exploited Gib to far better effect other than appearing to try to fleece the unwary and push so many Duty Free goods that were often cheaper back home!

Still, we did walk around although we did not feel up to going on a tour of the Rock.  Again, the tours that were on offer were so expensive.

Historically, Gib has much to offer from its Garrison days.  This link http://www.gibnet.com/data/facts.htm is very useful and interesting in its recount of the how's and when's of Gib in explaining its long and checkered history.

However, we did walk around and explored many of the side streets which gave the feeling of the real Gibraltar.    Here are remains of the original fort with various plaques such as these of the King's Bastion describing different events. Whilst in complete contrast I managed to capture a picture of a typical old residential building making sure I did not have any tourists or cars in the shot!

Both Hubby I would not have missed this visit for the world but came away feeling somewhat disappointed that such an important and unique place could be so exploited.